"Can you really say you've read a book when you've only listened to it?

Here is a question I came across I want to put out there and see what other readers think:  "Can you really say you've "read" a book when you've listened to it?  Does listening count as "reading" - and does it work for a book club discussion?"

My Answer:  I think so.  At least we get through the book, right?   In a busy life, that counts for something.  But on the other hand, when I listen to a book, I'm usually multi-tasking, which means the book doesn't have my full attention.  When we "read", we read at our own pace, we ponder, we re-read, maybe we jot down a note.  This is hard to do with an audio book or especially if you are listening while driving.  And if we get together for a discussion, it's easy for everyone to turn to a particular passage on a particular page, not something you can do with an audio book.

An argument I received via email states, "A narrator's voice can unfairly influence how we experience a book.  And, our memories work better when reading rather than listening.  Which is especially true for adults and older students.

My advice:  Enjoy an audio book whenever you feel like it - but read a printed version whenever you can!